Make a Memory
by Gothic984
Summary: Gail starts to uncover her connection to Lucas, while Lucas attempts to get Gail in the festive spirit.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil, Best Of All Possible Worlds, Little Girl Lost, Wicked Games, Monster Bash, It Takes Two To Tango, Nobody Wins, Down the rabbit hole and Come Together.

It was a bright late December morning in Trinity South Carolina and although the sun was shining, there was a bitter cold breeze that could be felt throughout the Buck Mansion.

Caleb Temple crept quietly down the stairs in his pajamas, so not to wake anyone up. He had heard his baby brother crying in the night and Gail arguing with Lucas; therefore, he wanted to keep out of their way for as long as possible, to ensure his cousins anger did not spread to him. When he passed through the study and headed for the kitchen to get himself a drink, he spotted Gail with the baby resting against her shoulder and knew his hopes for a peaceful morning had vanished.

Gail let out a long yawn and rubbed Luke's back gently. The little devil had kept her up most of the night and she could not stand seeing Lucas' lack of willingness to help any longer; therefore, she chose to take the boy downstairs and feed him in peace. Unfortunately, it appeared her cousin had the same irritating ability as his father to turn up when he was least wanted and her plan for a few moments of peace had gone out of the window.

'Mornin' cous', how is he?' Caleb asked and went to the refrigerator to find some pure orange juice.

Gail forced a smile in an attempt to hide her irritation and got Caleb a glass from the cupboard next to her. 'Fine now that he's managed to get me out of bed. I hope he didn't wake you up'

'Nah, I only just woke up' Caleb shrugged and poured the orange juice into the glass.

'I really don't know why you're staying here, wouldn't you prefer your nice peaceful bedroom at my place? I know I would given the chance' Gail sighed, as she pulled the baby down to her chest and began rocking him.

'Isn't that Matt's place now?' Caleb asked curiously.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'He's just a temporary lodger until I can find my way back there'

'You don't wanna be here?' Caleb asked, sensing his cousin's irritation.

'Do you?...' Gail asked in disbelief, '...I'm here because I have no choice yet, but you do Caleb and I thought you'd at least want to be with your sister...I know I'd prefer that'

Caleb thought about Merlyn residing at Abe's house. At one time he would have given anything to be with her again; however, now that she was back in his life for good, he wanted to explore his Fathers world.

Gail sensed Caleb's thoughts and sighed. She had hoped he would get bored of being here, especially with a new born baby screaming the house down each night; however, he appeared to be content with this arrangement. 'I miss your sister and I don't intend this arrangement to be permanent, you know that right?'

'Does Lucas?' Caleb asked, guessing she had not made Lucas aware of any plans to leave.

Gail smiled tiredly and rocked the baby in her arms. 'That's none of your concern...I'm your legal guardian and I don't expect you to put up a fight if I decide our living arrangements will change, do you understand?'

Caleb regarded his cousin carefully, then nodded. He did not want to get into an argument and he had every faith in Lucas getting involved if Gail tried to take him away. 'Alright cous', I won't fight you...I just want what's best for our family, like my daddy does' he advised.

Gail caught a hint of defiance in his tone and regarded him suspiciously. She should never have agreed to allow him to stay here; however, if both father and son want to be together, she was not sure it was her place to stand in their way. 'Good...' she sighed, choosing not to continue with the conversation and turned towards the stove. '...You want me to make you breakfast?'

'I'd like you to make us both breakfast' Lucas said, as he entered the kitchen and carefully took the sleeping baby from Gail's arms.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him and bit her lip in exasperation. She had not idea how much he had heard, but of course he showed up when the baby was peacefully sleeping. 'Seen as you're up, I'm going to get my head down to make up for sleep I've lost...Make your own damn breakfast' she replied with a hint of venom in her tone, then left them alone in the kitchen.

'Well that was uncalled for' Lucas sighed and took a sip of Caleb's orange juice.

'I can't tell whether she's really unhappy being here with us, or if she's just bein' dramatic' Caleb shrugged and got up to look for some cereal.

Lucas laughed at Caleb's mature way of looking at the matter. 'She's just tired son, she'll come around...Get your face outta them cupboards. Give me 10 minutes then we'll get ready, pick up Abe and grab some breakfast at the Diner'

'What about the baby?' Caleb asked confused.

Lucas rolled his eyes and shook his head. 'Why do you think I want 10 minutes son? Your cousin will be well away as soon as her head hit's the pillow, then I'll sneak this little handsome devil back where he belongs' he smiled.

Caleb knew Gail would not be impressed with being left with the baby; however, chose to stay out of it.

* * *

Merlyn woke up in Gail's bed, with Rocky laying beside her. She jumped up when she realised where she was and noticed she was still in the clothes she was wearing the night before.

'Don't worry, all I did was put you to bed when you fell asleep and I slept on the couch' Matt said as he brought her a cup of coffee. He did not approve at her drinking coffee at her age; however, she had developed a taste for it and there were worse things she could be doing, like her staying the night when he had been warned against it by his best friend.

Merlyn relaxed when Matt handed her the hot drink and smiled. 'I didn't mean nothin', it's just I should've let Abe know I wasn't stayin' at his place'

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'You were supposed to be staying at his place, or did you come up with an elaborate scheme to trick me into letting you stay here?'

'Me?...' she laughed, then turned serious. '...It is nice wakin' up to you in the mornin''

Matt inhaled deeply at the intense look M was giving him and remembered Gail's warnings. 'Well you won't be getting used to that. Now come on, let's go get some breakfast'

* * *

Gail rolled over in the large bed and her eyes shot open when she heard Luke's cry. She let out a loud sigh when she realised Lucas had placed the baby securely between several teddies on his side of the bed, then kicked off the quilt and took her baby in her arms.

'Shhh, did that son of a bitch neglect you? Of course he did' she whispered in a soothing tone and shook her head. She could not believe he found this behaviour acceptable and got up to find him, so she could give him a piece of her mind.

Gail walked out of the bedroom and carefully went down the stairs, in search of her lover. When she could not find him in his study or in the kitchen, she glanced out of a window and cursed out loud when she noticed his car was gone. She supposed it was at least a blessing that he had taken Caleb with him, as it was Saturday and she could not bare to have to take care of both of his children all day.

Gail had not felt herself since giving birth, she had gotten over the distrust of her baby boy; however, she had started to doubt her relationship with Lucas. In one moment he wanted to be involved with everything she did with the baby and the next he would find excuses to leave her to tend to the child on her own, as though she were an expert and not a new mother.

The more she analysed their relationship, the more she felt her connection with him dwindling. She supposed their relationship had been built on a kind forbidden desire for each other, which had been present since she returned to Trinity after Merlyn's death. She knew sex did not equal love and it was possible that their strong sexual urges had fooled them both into believing this was something more. Now that the sex had been taken away, her common sense was beginning to return.

Luke continued to cry, which brought Gail out of her thoughts. This was probably a good thing as it would not be smart to allow her doubts to take control of her, as Lucas would find this as some sort of betrayal no doubt. Gail rocked Luke gently and decided to go for a stroll around the property, hoping a change of scenery would distract them and clear her head. She appeared to be stuck here, as she would not take the baby into town for all the gossiping old biddies to gawk at; therefore, she might as well get some light exercise walking around the place.

Gail strolled down the long corridors slowly and smiled when Gideon decided to join her from the old Library that she had stumbled across previously. She allowed her guardian to lead the way and admired all the old fixtures about the place. For once she was not looking for anything in particular and that made this casual exploration relaxing. She had already proven that she was not going anywhere; therefore, Lucas had nothing to worry about anymore and that showed in the lack of stalking that she usually felt when she explored his home.

A door slowly creaked open as Gideon past it and it caught Gail's eye. The baby had fallen silent for the moment, curiously looking around the place and Gail felt her own curiosity spike. She entered the room, disregarding Gideon's low moan and was taken aback by the large dining room she had stumbled across. The room itself was filled with extravagant furniture and the large dark oak table stretched the majority of the room, able to seat at least a dozen people.

There was a large fireplace at the far end of the room and Gail felt drawn to it. She approached the fireplace slowly and her eyes fixed on a large picture with a dark red velvet sheet covering it. She desperately wanted to see what was underneath the sheet, so she reached for it; however, when her fingers made contact with the velvet, she felt a sharp pain surge through her head.

Suddenly Gail was sent back to a much earlier time. There were candles all around illumining the room, indicating it was night time and when she turned around she was met with two figures sitting down at the table, waiting to eat dinner.

She glanced down to ensure she still had hold of Luke and he appeared to be looking at the man sat directly in front of her, with long caramel blonde her. Gail felt something stir in her stomach and walked closer to the table to inspect the man before her, she took a large intake of breath when she saw the resemblance he had to Lucas and took a step back.

'More wine my dear?' The man said to his companion, which caused Gail to survey the rest of the room.

Gail's mouth dropped open when she saw the blonde woman who had murdered her past self sat at the other end of the large table and backed up against the wall, holding her baby protectively. She noticed both parties were dressed in clothes that would not be out of place in the early 1800's, if her old history studies had been correct and this indicated that she was either dreaming or was experiencing some sort of flash back, which was not out of place for her these days.

The blonde haired woman, who appeared a lot younger than her previous visions, let out a laugh and Gail was brought out of her thoughts. The woman appeared to be blushing with the attention she was getting and nodded her agreement for more wine.

Gail regarded the woman with disdain, she did not know what was happening; however, she knew she hated her for killing her past self and her unborn child. Although she had read her past self's diary, the ramblings of a love sick girl did not explain fully why the woman before her would believe she deserved such a fatal end. The diary had described some bad things that were done by Rosemary due to obsession, but how could that constitute murder?

The door to the Dining room opened and a young Rosemary shyly entered, behind a dark haired older man. Gail's eyes opened wide when she spotted her and the knot in her stomach became tighter.

'Forgive me Master Buck, some of the servants have taken ill. I hope you don't mind my daughter tending to your needs until they can be replaced' The older man said.

Gail shot a suspicious look at the Master of the house and noticed he remained smiling at the blonde woman opposite him. She then glanced at Rosemary who stood silently, staring at her hands.

'Go back to the kitchen Christopher, the girl will do fine...Now fetch us the wine girl' he said without looking at her, then turned his attention back towards his plate.

Rosemary rushed to get the wine and smiled at the young blonde woman, who flashed her a friendly smile back. If she remembered correctly from the diary, they were cousins and had been close at one time before jealousy tore them apart. Rosemary walked nervously to the head of the table, then carefully refilled the wine glass in front of Master Buck. She let out a sigh of relief when she had completed her task successfully, then turned to walk away; however, she felt a strong hand grip her wrist tight.

Gail regarded the pair curiously, Master Buck had gripped Rosemary's wrist when he sensed her unease lessen and now he could not take his eyes off of her. Gail felt her own unease begin to rise and held her baby close to her chest.

'Intriguing...How old are you girl?' he asked, putting his fork down so he could focus all of his attention on her. He did not much take for young girls, as they appeared to be too much work; however, he sensed something different in this one and she had sparked his curiosity.

Rosemary was taken in by the deep green eyes that were staring up at her and she felt a lump in her throat. 'Fifteen' she stuttered and held his gaze.

Master Buck nodded slowly and continued to gaze deep into her eyes. Luke suddenly let out a loud cry, which caused Gail to take her eyes off the pair for a second and when she glanced back towards them, Master Buck had let go of Rosemary and was staring directly at her.

Gail let out a surprised yell and closed her eyes, when she opened them she was back to present day with just Luke and Gideon. Gail exhaled slowly and swallowed hard, then rushed out of the room with Gideon following close behind her. She did not know what had just happened; however, she did not want to stay in here to find out.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas sat in Caleb's favourite Diner with Abe and the boy. It was a good job he had visited his old friend, as the man was going stir crazy worrying about why Merlyn Ann had not slept in her bed last.

'If I wanted a teenager to look after, I would've had a child...My Rosie is gonna go crazy when she finds out' Abe snapped, then took a deep breath to calm himself.

Caleb looked at Lucas worried, who just shrugged off the concern. 'Please don't tell Gail, she'll only use it as a reason to make me leave'

Abe sighed and regarded Caleb carefully. 'Looky here boy, I ain't that girl's daddy and you brought her into the picture with my Rosie if I remeber correctly...If Rosie needs to leave with you so she can keep an eye on you all, then that's her choice and she's only doin' whats best for ya'

'To hell with that ol' man, you know that ain't ever gonna happen' Lucas interjected casually.

Abe rolled his eyes and turned his full attention to Lucas. 'You gonna trap that girl in that maze of yours boy?...' he asked irritated, '...You know she won't take kindly to bein' caged, just like you wouldn't'

Lucas laughed and waved off the comment. 'Look, no-one is goin' anywhere...' he reassured Caleb and turned back towards Abe, '...If that little Missy wants to test your boundaries friend, I don't see how that comes back on us'

Abe laughed, then took a sip of his coffee. 'My Rosie won't stand for that girls insubordination and if she believes her being locked up with you and yours is a hindrance to the young girl, I guarantee she will fight you'

'What if Merly just stay's with us? It's Christmas in 2 day's anyhow and we all should be together' Caleb suggested, trying to come up with a solution.

Lucas shook his head and did not bother dignifying the suggestion with a comment.

Abe narrowed his eyes at Caleb, he did not care for the child referring to the girl with his dead sisters name. 'What Lucas means is the girl won't want that and Rosie wouldn't force her...but I'm too old to look after a teenager old friend, so somethin' has to give'

Lucas let out a long sigh, then turned towards the Diner entrance when he heard a girl laughing. 'Speak of the devil' he said, then got up and approached Merlyn who was being closely followed by Matt.

Suddenly 'Young Girl' by Gary Puckett came on the jukebox and Lucas smiled. 'Hear that Harvard? It appears this one's for you'

Matt blushed when he realised what the song was and brushed past Lucas, not wanting a confrontation.

'Why do you have to be such an ass? It's not as though you actually care what I do' Merlyn stated, then went to follow Matt.

Lucas grabbed Merlyn's arm and dragged her to his booth, ignoring the curious stares of other people in the Diner. 'Sit down and shut up Merly Ann. You're out of line and if you can't see it, at least consider what you're doin' to the man you claim to care so much about' Lucas suggested, then smiled at the young waitress who came over to deliver their breakfast.

Merlyn went to challenge Lucas, then felt her brothers hand grip her knee. 'Where were you Merly? You had me and Abe worried'

Abe did not approve of Lucas' action and remained silent, he could see how angry the girl was and even he knew there must be a better way to handle this than making a public spectacle.

'You know what? You lot don't get to interfere with me...I'm goin' to find my cousin!' she snapped and started to get up, then felt Lucas' hand on her wrist like a clamp.

Lucas pulled Merlyn back down, then leaned over the table so only she could hear him. 'You disturb the mother of my child with this childish outburst and I swear there'll be no danger of Harvard crossing the line, as you won't be around to tempt him...and this time, I'll be certain to ensure your body can't be found' he threatened.

'You wouldn't dare' Merlyn stared back at him defiantly.

'Test me Merly Ann...you know what lengths I'll go to in order to protect my family' he assured her.

They both stared at each other for a moment, then their connection was broken when Abe pushed his way past Lucas and out of the booth. 'I won't be a party to this boy...' he warned, then turned to Merlyn. '...Come on, you can fill me in on your activities for the night while we go join the good Doctor'

Merlyn rushed up to join Abe and shot Caleb a disapproving glance, for allowing Lucas to take control.

'She's mad at me' Caleb said sadly and began to play with his food using his fork.

'But she ain't runnin' to your cousin and interferrin' with our living arrangement now is she?' Lucas asked and smiled when Caleb nodded his acceptance at what he had just done.

* * *

Gail sat comfortably on the large bed with Luke propped up on a pillow, to enable him to feed comfortably. The sharp discomfort of his feeding was starting to ease slightly and she allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment, while she held her son securely.

Gail was taken back to the large Dining room, where it appeared a few months had past as Rosemary's hair had grown significantly. Her past self was wearing her loose curls draped over her shoulders and her dress appeared tighter than her previous vision.

'I wish you wouldn't employ my family to be your servants' The young blonde woman said, as her cousin collected her plate.

'Your Uncle and I have a gentleman's agreement...you'd do well to keep out of my business Darlin'' Master Buck warned and wrapped one of Rosemary's loose curls around his finger playfully, when she leaned down to collect his plate.

Rosemary blushed and took a large intake of breath, then rushed off to the kitchen with the dirty plates.

'You're inappropriate with her' The blonde woman stated, as she took a sip of her wine.

'Jealous?' Master Buck asked, with a wicked grin.

The blonde woman got up and stormed out of the room, Gail sensed her leave the house and felt concern for Rosemary when she re-entered the room with a fresh bottle of wine. By this point Master Buck had moved to the fireplace and beckoned for Rosemary to come to him. Rosemary approached him nervously and set the bottle down on the table, before obediently following his orders.

When Rosemary reached him he gently took her hand and pulled her in front of the fireplace, then slowly turned her around so her back was to him. 'You're shiverin', this'll warm you up' he whispered in her ear, as he brushed her curls away from her shoulders with his finger.

Gail could feel the confusing arousal Rosemary felt, the girl clearly did not fully understand what was happening to her as she was so young and innocent at this time. Rosemary stood obediently and allowed him to pull down her dress strap, then run his lips over her bare shoulder.

'How old are you now love?' Master Buck whispered, before placing a gently kiss on her shoulder.

'Fifteen' Rosemary said quietly and let out a small moan when his lips touched her bare skin.

'How many months?' he asked, with a hint of frustration in his tone.

Rosemary tried to gather her thoughts, his closeness was distracting and she was finding it hard the think.

'Fifteen years and ten months' Gail said in unison with Rosemary and watched as Master Buck pulled her dress strap back up, walked towards the bottle of wine on the table, then picked it up and headed out of the room, leaving Rosemary alone.

* * *

Lucas returned home to check on Gail, after dropping Caleb off at the park to play with his friends. He had ran into the Mayor's wife Mary and she had proposed something that he needed to run past Gail. He sensed his love was still in bed and shook his head, she clearly must be exhausted if she could not bring herself to come down.

After hanging his jacket behind the door Lucas stared at the overly decorated Christmas Tree that he was forced to have in his entrance hall with disgust, then headed up the stairs to his bedroom. When he entered the room, he saw both Gail and Luke had fallen asleep when the baby had been feeding and he smiled. He quietly moved towards the bed, carefully removed Luke from his position resting on Gail's breast and placed him in his cot. He regarded Gail laying peacefully and felt his manhood grow hard, when he decided to carefully get on the bed beside her.

Lucas caressed Gail's bare breast gently and watched as she stirred slightly. He knew breastfeeding his son had been hard for her at first; however, she had worked through the pain without complaint and continued to feed their son in this natural way. He stroked her nipple softly and bit his lip as he tried to control his urges, then moved her head to her breast and placed his mouth over her tender nipple.

Gail let out a painful moan when she felt the strange pressure on her breast and her eyes shot open when the sucking she felt did not match her sons. Gail looked down and saw Lucas, then tangled her hand in his hair and attempted to pull him off of her; however, he removed her hand easily and continued sucking.

Lucas did not want to hurt her, this was something new that he did not want his son to solely experience and he wanted to taste her. When he was satisfied that he had once again tasted all of her, he released her breast and pulled himself up to her.

Gail gently wiped the liquid off his lips with her thumb and shook her head. She knew he was possessive and dominating; therefore, this was just another way to make him believe he owned her. She was not mad as she knew he could not help being this way and she was more concerned about her visions.

'I want you' he whispered, then kissed her passionately and ran his hand down her body to her sweet spot.

Gail allowed him to kiss her, then took his hand in hers and removed it from between her legs. 'I want to move back in to my house and have my old figure back, but we all can't get what we want can we?' she asked sarcastically, then got out of the bed.

Lucas knelt on the bed and grabbed her arm, to turn her back towards him. He ran his hands up the outside of her legs, then pulled down her pajama shorts and nuzzled her sweet spot.

Gail inhaled deeply and tangled her hand in his hair, then let out a small laugh when she felt him begin to play with his tongue. There was no point in stopping this act, as it would only prolong the inevitable and it always turned him on the more when she fought back.

When Gail had accepted the act, Lucas pulled her back down on the bed and moved between her legs. He began to nip and suck at her sweet spot, then pushed his tongue inside her and tasted her fully.

Gail turned her head into the pillow, to stifle her loud moans so they did not wake the baby. She could not deny how easily he could make her come, especially when she chose not to resist and she bit the pillow when her climax came to prevent her calling out his name.

Lucas licked her sweet spot with a sense of pride, then pulled himself over her and parted her legs with his knees. 'See, it's not so bad being here with our son...This way I know exactly where you are when I want to service you' he teased and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Gail stroked his cheek, then ran her hand through her hair. 'This only makes me want more and you know we can't do that yet'

Lucas nodded and bit his lip in frustration, he craved to be inside of her; however, he would not allow himself to hinder her full recovery. 'A dinner' Lucas said as he climbed off her, trying to distract them both from their urges.

'What dinner?' Gail asked, as she propped herself up on her elbows.

'Our elite men's group are wanting to check up on you, since you've been out of bounds for the last few months...Mary suggested a dinner' he advised and prepared himself for a bad reaction.

Gail thought for a moment, then nodded. 'I'm in' she agreed, then got out of bed and went to the wardrobe.

'As simple as that?' Lucas asked in disbelief.

Gail looked over her shoulder and smiled. 'I know I can't hide from everyone forever...Now, I think someone is late for work' she said with mock scorn.

Lucas glanced at his watch, then stood up and adjusted his pants due to his uncomfortably hard manhood. 'It appears I am, you behave now' he warned, then placed a kiss on her forehead and smacked her behind before leaving.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Mary sat outside of the old Antique Store, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. She had been beyond surprised when she had received a call from her friend and was more than happy to help with the favour she had asked of her. She had not seen Gail properly since the Halloween Party, where she had accidentally revealed to her party guests that Gail was the one pregnant with the Sheriff's child; therefore, she wanted to show her friend that she could be trusted.

Mary gave herself a mental shake when she saw the pretty young girl exit the Antique Store and sit on a bench in front. She never understood why her friend would open her home to this stranger; however, it appeared she was now part of the family and Mary respected her friends kindness in taking her in.

She got out of the car and approached the young girl, who appeared content staring down the road and smiled when she spotted her. 'Afternoon M, how are we?' she asked pleasantly.

Merlyn was shocked to see the Mayor's wife in this part of town and it took her a moment to process that the woman was here. 'As good as I can be workin' on a Saturday. How are you?' she asked, forcing a sweet smile.

'I'm good...just here to see if you can get a few hours off to join me?'

Merlyn narrowed her eyes at the woman suspiciously. Mary was Gail's friend and would have no reason to want to spend time with her. 'I'm workin' like I said' she replied, unsure of what this was.

'The Mayor's wife invites you to spend time with her and you shoot her down?' Abe asked, as he approached the pair.

Merlyn had been too distracted with Mary's presence to notice Abe had come out to join them. 'I'm workin' for a reason, as you need the help' she advised him.

Mary smiled at the exchange between these two, everyone knew Abraham Boswell and the man usually kept to himself; however, he appeared to be taken with Gail and it was nice to see him socialising with a family. 'I'm sure this gentleman won't mind me stealin' you for a few hours, especially at the request of the woman who took you in'

'Gail requested this?' Merlyn asked suspiciously.

'She most certainly did' Mary smiled.

'Well it's settled then, you go do whatever you girls do and I'll shut the shop early...I won't take no for an answer girl' Abe said sternly and smiled when the girl reluctantly followed the Mayor's wife.

Abe casually returned back to his Store and let out a long sigh when he reviewed his sales ledger, not one customer had visited the Store in the last week and it would be hard to keep this place afloat at this rate.

'What you need is an advertising strategy' Gail stated, as she reviewed literature on the bookshelf at the far corner of the Store.

Abe gave a small jump, then smiled. He had not noticed his Rosie sneak in and as far as he was aware, she was hiding herself away from the public. 'Come out from your hidin' place and let me look at you' he requested.

Gail rolled her eyes, then pushed Luke's buggy out of the dark corner and approached the counter where Abe stood. 'I'm not some spectacle for you to gawk at just because I had Lucas Buck's baby'

Abe laughed and moved around the counter to meet her, he was happy to see that she was her usual feisty self and being trapped in the Buck Mansion had not dampened her spirit. 'Hold your tongue girl, I ain't just another gossipin' biddy and I'm allowed to be interested in your well-bein''

Gail smiled and shook her head. 'Oh, so this is concern over whether I've been molded into something cruel and unusual by my captor?' she asked sarcastically.

'This is me wantin' to check on my family, so pipe down and let me see the little one' he laughed and leaned into the buggy.

Gail watched Abe with genuine affection, she never would have guessed she would find someone who cared about her so much when she first returned to Trinity. It was a shame they had lost so many years and she regretted never meeting his wife in her adulthood.

'Now who's the one gawkin'?' Abe asked, when he noticed Gail watching him.

Gail started to pace around the store, curious as to what new items he may hold. 'Now you know how I feel' she sighed and picked up an old ornament.

Abe watched her carefully, he could see the dark circles under her eyes and wondered if it was just the baby that was causing her lack of rest. He had come to know her very well and knew when something had peaked her curiosity, it was hard for her to hide things from him and he sensed something was going on with her. 'What plans have you got for that girl?' he asked curiously.

'M?...' Gail asked, '...Nothing bad, the girl needs to start living her life rather than being caught up in our drama'

'Meanin' what?'

Gail carefully placed the ornament back down and turned towards Abe. 'Meaning being around the same adults day in and day out is not helping her development. The girl needs to experience life, rather than being cooped up'

'And you think sendin' her off with the Mayor's wife is gonna help her do that?' Abe asked and smiled down at the baby, when he noticed he had woken up and was staring at him curiously.

'God no...' Gail laughed and approached Abe. '...We've got a dinner party to attend tonight and she's going to need something nice to wear'

'She won't like that, especially if it involves a certain Sheriff' Abe warned and watched as Gail carefully picked up the baby.

Gail gently rocked Luke attempting to sooth him back to sleep, then turned her attention back to Abe. 'Speaking of which, what have I missed?' she asked, disregarding his comment.

'I won't be a pawn to be used against my friend Rosie' he warned.

'So something has happened?' she sighed and began pacing the Store.

Abe inhaled deeply and shook his head, he did not want to get Lucas into trouble for riling the young girl up and would need to be careful with what he said. Gail was like a dog with a bone; therefore, he would have to give her something or she would keep digging. 'Let's just say her closeness with Matt Crower hasn't gone unnoticed'

Gail bit her lip in frustration, she knew Abe did not want to get anyone into trouble; however, it was clear something had happened and she knew Lucas would have a field day with the feelings Matt and Merlyn had for each other. 'Will you join me tonight? I miss you' she said, changing the subject.

Abe smiled and nodded. 'I miss you too...Will I need something nice to wear too?' he asked sarcastically.

Gail laughed and rolled her eyes in mock frustration. 'I suppose I could take you clothes shopping to make you pretty too'

'The hell you will' Abe laughed and stroked Gail's back affectionately.

'Come on, I'll help you close up and we'll go grab some lunch' Gail ordered, as she placed Luke back in his buggy and started to help close up the Store.

* * *

Lucas sat comfortably behind his desk, regarding Walter Maine with a smug smile. The man had refused to press charges against his poor little Betty after she attacked him and the fact that the man was attempting to grovel for his wife amused him.

'So you see Lucas, there's no need to continue with court action against Betty...She didn't mean it and I just want her to come home' Walter stuttered, staring down at his hands.

Lucas nodded, as though considering the mans statement; however, he was not finished with this family just yet. 'You see Walter, the problem we have is there were a lot of witnesses that who Betty break a bottle and plunge it into your neck...Regardless of whether you wanna press charges or not, that was a violent crime and cannot go unpunished in my town'

Walter could feel his nerve diminishing, all he wanted was his wife back home for Christmas and he did not understand why Lucas was doing this to them. 'Please Lucas, I'll do whatever you want...just don't hurt my Betty' he pleaded, then noticed the smile on Lucas' face disappear.

'You had your chance Walter, all I wanted was for that pretty little Nurse of yours to keep an eye on my boy. Why should I care what happens to you and yours when you couldn't even offer a helpin' hand to me?' Lucas asked sardonically.

Walter placed his head in his hands and began to cry. Lucas rolled his eyes and let out a small laugh, he was about to scold the man when the door to his office swung open and Caleb walked in. Lucas shot the boy a disapproving look and waved for Walter to leave them.

Caleb watched the broken man as he walked past him, then regarded Lucas suspiciously. 'What did you do to him?' he asked, perching himself on the corner of the desk.

Lucas regarded his son curiously, he did not appreciate being interrupted when he had been having a private meeting and if it had been anyone else there would have been hell to pay. 'Never you mind, is there a reason why you barged into my private meeting?' he asked irritated.

'You told me to stop by when I was finished with Boone' Caleb shrugged and glanced around the office.

Lucas had given the boy an open invitation; therefore, he could not be mad at him. Besides, there was no harm letting Walter stew for a while longer. 'Alright son...' he said, getting up from behind the desk. '...What should we do to pass the time until our dinner at the Mayor's house tonight?'

Caleb pondered for a moment, then smiled. 'Christmas is in a few days'

Lucas let out an exasperated breath at the mention of the holiday, both he and Gail hated the festive season. He had of course already gotten Caleb a few gifts, as had Gail; however, they had been avoiding the subject whenever possible. 'What's your point?' Lucas asked.

Caleb knew how Lucas and Gail felt about the holiday, he also knew that Gail had arranged for the large Christmas Tree to be in Lucas' entrance hall to annoy him. Regardless of how they felt, Caleb had enjoyed himself for the first time that he could remember last year and he liked the thought of celebrating like a normal family. 'It's Luke's first Christmas, don't you think we should do something special? And I think Gail deserves somethin' to cheer her up with all that's happened' he stated, using the situation to his advantage.

Lucas shook his head and let out a long sigh. Gail could use a distraction and it was a good excuse to get her a nice gift. 'OK son, you've convinced me...I suppose there's no time like the present to get this over with'

Caleb smiled and followed his father out of the office.

* * *

Gail sat patiently on the couch in Matt Crower's office, waiting for him to come back with her test results. Lucas had insisted that Matt be the Doctor she reports to, as he was more capable than most; however, she did not like having her friend examining her and insisted Rita take point on anything that involved touching her.

Gail's stance on this meant it took longer for Matt to monitor her recovery after giving birth, as he had to liaise with Rita throughout their appointments; however, he respected her wishes and she suspected he did not want to see her in a compromising position either.

Matt entered the office with her file under his arm and two cups of coffee. Seeing Gail was always a highlight of his day and it was nice to be able to spend time with her without Lucas Buck interfering. Lucas would not dare crash their appointment; therefore, Matt liked to take advantage of the alone time they got together.

'So, how are you finding motherhood?' he asked, as he sat down next to Gail on the couch.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'I had a momentary issue bonding with my child and you're going to ask me that question every time?'

Matt smiled and put his arm around his friend. 'I will ask you that question every time, as I want to make sure you're experiencing this as you should...A child is a gift Gail' he said with a hint of sadness in his tone.

Gail regarded Matt with concern, then rested her head on his chest. She wished there was something she could do to bring his daughter back, a parent should not have to outlive their child. 'We're fine Matt...I'm tired, drained and ready to scream but none of that is aimed at Luke' she reassured him.

Matt nodded and enjoyed the closeness with Gail. They had actually appeared to have grown closer since his kiss with M, he supposed it was due to her concern over his actions. He had not instigated the kiss; however, he should have stopped it from getting that far and clearly his judgement was not as good as it used to be'

'She's not as immature as you'd think' Gail said sensing his thoughts, then stood up and paced the room.

'Meaning what?' Matt asked, knowing there was some secret between her and M.

'Meaning she's seen more than you could ever imagine and at times I think she's more mature than me' Gail laughed and perched on the end of his desk.

Matt narrowed his eyes at her, surely she was not making excuses for him.

'No excuses...' Gail sighed, '...I'm just being honest. It's complicated and I'd prefer you to get rid of your feelings for her...but speaking as someone in an inappropriate relationship, I understand that may not be possible and I'm just saying the girl may not be as young as you believe'

'Anyway...' Matt said changing the subject, '...You're test results are in and you seem to be healing at a remarkable rate, you're nearly back to full health. I don't know what juice you're drinking to patch you up like this, but you should pass it around'

Gail let out a small laugh and smiled at her friend. 'Well it appears being ran into the ground has a regenerating affect on my body...Keep this to yourself though, I could do with a little more time on certain things'

Matt got up from the couch and approached Gail. 'I'm your Doctor Gail, everything we discuss is confidential...Besides, you really think I'd want this news getting back to a certain someone so he can start pawing at you again?'

'You think this made him stop?...' Gail asked in disbelief, then sighed. '...Listen, you want to join us tonight for dinner? I've been roped into a meal with the Mayor and a few others, I could do with some support'

Matt placed a reassuring hand on Gail's shoulder, then shook his head. 'You couldn't pay me to be there, but if you need a babysitter for Luke I don't mind helping'

Gail smiled and nodded, she understood his reluctance and she would not be doing this if it was not expected of her. 'Alright then, it's a date. Come by at around 6 and we'll go from there' she said and left the office to go check on Abe and Luke.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearly 7:00pm when Lucas started driving towards his home, to collect Gail for the meal at the Mayor's house. They were supposed to be there by 7:00pm; however, he did not not conform to peoples rules and he would turn up whenever he felt like. When he turned onto his street, he was taken aback by the number of cars parked in front of his house and began to get suspicious as to what Gail had been up to while he was not here to watch her.

Lucas entered his home with Caleb and stared unimpressed at the candles lighting the way past the large Christmas Tree in the entrance hall. Lucas sent Caleb to his room to hide the presents he had bought, then began to follow the candle lit hallway when the boy returned to his side.

'What's goin' on Lucas?' Caleb asked confused, as they walked deeper into the property.

Lucas did not answer the question, he continued silently on the candle lit path. As they headed down a long corridor, the faint sound of Dean Martin's Let It Snow could be heard and Lucas felt his rage begin to stir. He had never felt uncomfortable in his property; however, the closer he got to the music, the more his unease grew.

The sound of loud laughter could be heard and Lucas headed towards the open door at the bottom of the corridor. He glanced over his shoulder at Caleb to ensure he was still by his side, then entered the large dining room and looked around suspiciously.

'It's about time the guest of honour arrived' Mayor John exclaimed and got up to meet Lucas.

The room erupted into warm greetings for Lucas; however, his attention was firmly fixed on Gail, who was close to the head of the table. She had crossed a line inviting these people into his home and it was taking all of his self control not to lash out.

Abe was sat next to Gail and caught the look of resentment in Lucas' eyes, the man was hiding it well behind a charming smile; however, he could see right through his old friend and placed a protective hand on Gail's.

Gail winked playfully at Abe, then got up to meet Lucas. She signaled for the serving staff she had hired to start bringing out the food, to distract their guests and linked her arm around Lucas'. 'You want to parade me around like a show pony, then we're doing on my terms' she whispered in his ear, then led him to his seat.

Caleb sensed Lucas' anger and took a seat next to Merlyn, who did not look pleased to be here. 'What's goin' on Merly?' he whispered.

Merlyn sighed and leaned close to her brother. 'From what I can gather Gail's gone crazy and is draggin' us all into her delusion'

'What delusion?' he asked concerned.

'The one where she believes we're the perfect normal family' she snapped and took a sip of the wine Gail had allowed her to have, to take the edge of.

Lucas sat down and gripped Gail's knee tight, then leaned close to her. 'This is a violation of my privacy Darlin' and even that short little dress of yours isn't gonna save you from punishment for this' he whispered and smiled charmingly, so no-one could see his anger.

Gail shot Abe a reassuring smile, sensing his concern, then turned her full attention towards Lucas and gently squeezed his inner thigh. 'Do you feel that?' she asked quietly, ignoring his threat.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes, then regarded her curiously. She had a glint of mischief and he began to sense intrigue within her. 'What I feel is a betrayal Gail' he snapped, then took a deep breath when her hand traveled further up his thigh.

'You disappoint me...Aren't you the one who's always trying to portray an air of superiority over these people? I thought you'd jump at the chance to display our happy little family in front of them all' she sighed, then released his thigh and turned her attention back to Abe.

Lucas was about to interrupt them, when the first course was brought out. It appeared he was required to perform for his guests and would address Gail's unacceptable behaviour later.

* * *

Matt paced around Lucas' study, glancing at the old books situated neatly in the bookshelves around the room. He had chosen to bring Luke downstairs and decided to inspect some rooms while the baby was sleeping. The study had a dark charm to it and he could understand why Lucas would enjoy spending time in here, he used to get lost in books himself and envied the mans collection.

'Don't envy me too much Harvard, you wouldn't wanna lose that innocent angle you've always got goin' on' Lucas said, as he entered the room and walked towards the fire where Luke was sleeping peacefully.

'I thought he might benefit from the warmth in here...' Matt started to explain; however, Lucas held up his finger to silence him.

'I'm not lookin' for a fight Doc', on the contrary' Lucas laughed and sat down on the dark green couch in the center of the room, then unbuttoned his shirt collar and rolled up his sleeves.

Matt regarded Lucas suspiciously, it was out of character for him to be so accepting of his presence.

'I have bigger fish to be concerned with than you Harvard' Lucas sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

'You don't like your guests?' Matt smiled knowingly and walked over to an unusual book he had spotted on a small table. It was titled Occultist Power and he was suddenly intrigued with it's contents.

Lucas stood up when he noticed Matt's attention had settled on a book he had no intention of letting the man explore, then took hold of the book before Matt could. 'I wouldn't call them my guests and I can't think of anythin' worse than having these people loose in my home'

'Oh so it's fine for you to invade a persons privacy, but god forbid someone step into your extravagant mansion' Matt smiled smugly.

'Sarcasm doesn't suit you Doc'...' Lucas smirked, then went to his cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. '...Can I tempt you?'

Matt shook his head and regarded Lucas suspiciously. 'You know I'm sober'

'God forbid you let your hair down and come join the adults' Lucas teased, then poured himself a large glass and downed it.

'Is it appropriate behaviour for the town Sheriff to goad a man into drinkin'?' Merlyn asked, as she entered the room with a large plate of food.

Lucas let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'uh-oh, here comes the fun police...' he said sarcastically and refilled his glass of whiskey, '...There's only one thing worse than spending time with those reprobates out there'

Merlyn narrowed her eyes and stared at him with disdain. 'And what's that?'

'Standing here and listenin' to your preachin'...Enjoy the jail-bait Doc' Lucas teased, then left the room with his drink and his book.

Merlyn shook her head and handed Matt the plate. 'I thought you might be hungry'

Matt smiled and placed the plate down on the small table beside him. 'Actually Gail made sure the catering staff made brought me something when you all ate...how is it in there?' he asked curiously, not understanding why Gail had chosen this play.

Merlyn just shrugged and walked quietly over to the baby. 'It's strange...you'd think I'd be used to being ignored in a room full of people, but this was a whole new experience' she smiled sadly.

'I thought you had Caleb with you?' Matt asked, feeling anger rise within him when he sensed her sadness.

Merlyn laughed and stroked Luke's cheek tenderly. 'He's too busy socialisin' for his daddy to care about me' she whispered, careful not to disturb the baby.

Matt let out a long sigh and watched her carefully. Her long dark brown hair hung loose over her shoulders and he felt something stir within him. 'You can keep us company' he suggested, ignoring his common sense screaming at him to keep quiet.

Merlyn turned towards Matt and smiled, she thought he would never ask and she was happy to be keep out of her cousins game.

* * *

Gail watched as Caleb led the last members of their party out of the dining room, he wanted to be of some help and she was more than happy to allow him to show their guests out on his way to bed. She glanced at Abe, who was whispering by the door with Lucas, then picked up her glass of wine and went towards the large fireplace.

Lucas glanced over his shoulder when Gail got up and regarded her suspiciously.

'You leave her be boy...this is your own fault for tryin' to force her into a social situation before she was ready' Abe whispered and shot a look of warning at his friend.

Lucas forced a reassuring smile and placed his arm around Abe's shoulder. 'I wouldn't hurt a hair on her pretty little head ol' man, now are you alright finding your way to Caleb? He's gonna set you up in one of the spare rooms for the night'

'I ain't a cripple boy and I don't need you to house me' Abe snapped, but left the room obediently and went to find Caleb.

Lucas turned his full attention towards Gail and watched closely as she stared at the sheet covering the large painting above the fireplace. Lucas had not been in this room for years; therefore, he was unfamiliar with the art his family had hung here; however, it was clear his love was intrigued by something in here.

Gail stared at the covered painting and took a large sip of her drink. She had felt a presence around her all evening and it was irritating her that Lucas appeared unaware of what she was feeling. She had chosen to bring the party here, in the hopes of causing some uncontrollable reaction from her lover; however, he remained blissfully ignorant to the presence surrounding her. She was taken out of her thoughts by Lucas' hand reaching from behind and gripping her neck gently.

'Now that I finally have you all to myself, what am I goin' to do with you Miss Emory?' he teased and pulled her back into him roughly.

Gail turned her head to the side, to allow him access to her neck then let out a long breath when he inhaled her scent. 'Surely you're not mad at me for throwing a wonderful dinner party for your constituents?' she asked sweetly.

Lucas was about to answer when he felt something brush against his back and he suddenly became aware of a presence in the room with them. He glanced behind him to inspect the presence, then turned his attention back to Gail when he sensed her calmness. 'Surely you're not disappointed in me for not sensin' our uninvited guest?' he asked sarcastically.

Gail smiled, happy he was finally allowing himself to feel the strangeness in here. 'If I'm going to stay here and cater to your needs of superiority over your townspeople, I'm going to need you to keep up sweetheart' she teased, then pushed her behind against his hard manhood. Something in here was playing with her urges and she was finding it hard to resist.

Lucas sensed her desire and stroked his finger gently down her back, he smiled when he felt her body quiver under his touch and leaned forward to brush his lips against her shoulder. 'You cold Darlin'?' he whispered seductively, then gently ran his tongue over her shoulder and up to her neck.

Gail bit her lip to stifle her aroused moan and tried to regain some control over her body. 'Have you been in here before?' she asked curiously, trying to distract herself from the sensational feeling of his lips on her neck.

Lucas nipped at her neck playfully, then turned her around to face him. 'I'm sensing there's somethin' I'm supposed to know here, or are you fishin' for information for some other purpose Miss Emory?' he asked, then slowly knelt down in front of her and began lifting up her dress.

Gail inhaled deeply, trying to muster up some strength to resist then reached down and pulled him up before his mouth could reach it's intended target. 'Stop' she ordered. Her body was engulfed with a deep longing for him to be inside of her; however, she concentrated hard and attempted to push her desire away.

* * *

Merlyn was sat comfortably next to Matt watching intently as he fed Luke his bottle, when a strange force hit her. She glanced around the room to confirm they were still alone and gave herself a mental shake; however, her body started to tingle all over and she felt the temperature of her skin increase as she watched Matt.

Matt sensed the change in his companion instantly and regarded her curiously. He could be mistaken; however, the look she was giving him indicated that she wanted him come closer. Matt was not stupid so he finished feeding the baby, placed him gently over his shoulder then carefully stood up and attempted to wind him. Luke was surprisingly well behaved for a Buck, he could not say the same for his companion at this moment in time.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and watched Matt as he stood up to pace the room, she pulled her dress up slightly and crossed her legs so the top of her thigh was visible. 'You're good with him' she said and smiled when Matt appeared to blush.

Matt felt her eyes on him and did not know what to do, the baby was ready to be put down; however, he continued to stroke his back and feign winding him, to create some distance from M. 'He's a good boy...'

'Let's hope he doesn't take after his father' Merlyn interrupted, then stood up and took Luke from his arms, sensing he was using the baby to avoid her.

Matt watched her for a moment, then walked towards the door of the Study when she placed Luke in his cot. 'I should check on Gail' he said, but stopped when M came behind him and placed her hand on the door.

'She's a big girl...and so am I Matt' she whispered and inhaled his scent. She did not know what had come over her; however, she felt a kind of animal desire surging through her veins and it was directed straight at the man before her.

Matt experienced a feeling of longing, something he had not felt in a long time and he allowed the girl to run her hands up his arms. This was wrong and he did not know what had come over her; however, a strong urge to be held came over him and he could not shake it.

Merlyn sensed his conflict and took his hand in hers, then led him to the couch. When they were sat down together, she stroked her hand tenderly over his cheek and stared deep into his eyes.

'This is wrong...I'm wrong' he said, trying to sound stern; however, her warm smile indicated he was not fooling anyone.

Merlyn smiled as Matt tried to show some restraint, she respected his concern for her; however, the strong desire flowing through her could wait no longer and she leaned in close, then placed her soft lips on his.

* * *

Lucas felt himself beginning to get frustrated, he sensed Gail's desire and could not understand why she was resisting him. He did not want to hurt her, he just wanted to taste her.

'I'm resisting as it won't stop there' Gail sighed, reading his mind.

'I have a lot of restraint Gail, I've proven that' Lucas said and caressed her cheek.

'Did I say I was concerned about your restraint?' she asked, then pulled out of his reach and walked back towards the large dining room table.

Lucas watched as she ran her fingers over the dark wood and tried to shake off a feeling of deja vu. Everything in his being was calling for him to go to her; however, there was a strangeness in this room that he did not care for.

Gail had opened herself up to the presence surrounding her, flashbacks of Rosemary losing her virginity on this very table shot through her mind. She laughed to herself when she thought of him waiting until she had turned 16, as if that was an appropriate age to start the girl on her path of obsession. The more Gail thought about her visions, the more she realised that neither her nor Rosemary stood a chance.

She was amazed that she had managed to resist Lucas for as long as she did. Had she have doubted the well thought out story he had given her about her parents deaths sooner, she might have had a fighting chance; however, there was no denying their connection now and it appeared something within this property wanted her to know that.

'Am I borin' you Darlin'?' Lucas asked, after she had remained silent in thought for a few minutes.

Gail decided that she did not want to get into her visions with him right now; therefore, she shot him a wicked grin, picked up her glass of wine and left the dining room. She was in a playful mood and being in that room was not helping her restraint.

Lucas attempted to push down his urges and followed close behind her down the long corridor, he loved it when she got in a playful mood like this and her sheer determination to withstand his charm made for a great challenge.

He felt his manhood become hard at the thought of continuing this game; therefore, he picked up the pace then dragged her through the kitchen and into his Study. He was about to throw her down on the couch when he spotted Matt Crower laying on Merlyn, kissing her passionately. 'Well welcome to the party Doc', it's about time you joined the adults' Lucas smirked, amused at the state they had caught him in.

'You're kidding me' Gail exclaimed in shock, as Matt jumped up and put his hand over his mouth in shame.

'We weren't doin' nothin' wrong' Merlyn tried to reason; however, Gail grabbed her by the arm and roughly dragged her out of the room, giving Matt a disapproving look as she left.

'I don't know what came over me...' Matt started, then stopped when he realised he had no explanation for what he was doing.

Lucas went to Luke, to ensure his boy was oblivious to what was going on and smiled when he saw that he was fast asleep. 'Of all the things I could get you on, I never thought statutory rape would be one of them' he laughed.

Matt felt a tight ball in the pit of his stomach when Lucas said the words and he felt sick. This was all Lucas required to turn people against him and the man had witnessed it with his own eyes, he was so disappointed with himself.

'Ah hell, quite your mopin' and just own it...I ain't gonna do anythin', I'm just surprised you had the balls to act on your urges'

'You're not going to anything?' Matt asked, in disbelief.

'Let's call it a Christmas miracle Harvard...' Lucas said sarcastically, '...Now come on, let's get you a ride outta here before Gail comes back and has your hide'

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail awoke to the exquisite sensation of Lucas' tongue gently trailing up the inside of her thigh. Her anger of the previous night had not prevented her from dreaming of all the things Rosemary experienced in her first intimate encounter with the Master Buck of that time and her body was clearly reacting to the desire she witnessed, as she could not muster the strength to deny Lucas at this moment in time.

Lucas sensed her acceptance then began licking and sucking her sweet spot. He had awoken to Merlyn sneaking in and taking the baby, clearly trying to find a way to get on Gail's good side. When she had left them alone, he had instantly sensed Gail's arousal and could not leave her in that state without offering a helpful hand.

Gail lay back and allowed Lucas to please her, she was past trying to take charge and accepted his need to give her a release. The patterns he was making inside of her caused intense pleasure to flow through her and it did not take long for her to reach her climax. She called out his name without thinking, then smiled when she did not hear the sound of a crying baby.

Lucas slowly pulled himself up, kissing her stomach and breasts on the way then smiled down at her. 'It appears someone is trying to get in your good books today' he smiled, then kissed her passionately.

Gail could feel his hard manhood against her leg and reached down to pleasure him.

'Ah-ah Miss Emory, you had a hard day yesterday planning that big dinner party...Let's just call this payback' he teased and pulled her hand off him.

Gail was pent up and was getting sick of being considered as fragile; therefore, she pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, ready to straddle him. 'So, you wouldn't want this then?' she asked sweetly, as she hovered above his hard manhood teasingly.

Lucas wanted nothing more than to pull her down and push himself deep inside her; however, he needed to show restraint, no matter how much it was killing him. 'Do you know what day it is tomorrow?' he asked, trying to distract himself.

Gail rolled her eyes and returned to her previous position on her back. 'Well today is Sunday so I think it's safe to safe Monday follows that, but you might want to ask your little Teacher to be sure' she answered sarcastically.

Lucas rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, then gentle moved a strand of hair from her cheek. 'This isn't because I don't want to, you know that...' he reassured her, sensing her frustration about not being able to be fully intimate. '...Now, what's comin' up tomorrow ain't my department'

'And you think it's mine? Technically my child doesn't care less what day it is' Gail snapped, brushing his hand off her cheek and getting out of bed. When the cold hit her, she instantly regretted her decision to exit the warm bed; however, she would not allow him to see her regret.

Lucas watched as she began to put her robe on and sighed, he was still getting used to having a family and being in a relationship; therefore, he tried not to react to her comment in his usual dominating way. Instead, he reached over and pulled her back into bed when she attempted to pass him to get to the wardrobe.

Gail tried to pull free of his grasp; however, she knew deep down there was no point in fighting him. She allowed him to cover her with the thick quilt and run his hand over her body.

'I'm gonna let that one go' he whispered and nipped at her lips playfully.

'Now why would you do that Sheriff? Are you getting soft in your old age?' she goaded and scraped her nails down his bare chest.

Lucas could see the desire in her eyes and his restraint began to falter. 'Careful Miss Emory, we wouldn't want me to have to punish you for your insubordination' he warned, then moved his hand inside her robe and squeezed her breast hard.

Gail let out a low moan and bit his lip teasingly, 'Punish away Sheriff' she dared, then smiled as he climbed on top of her and parted her legs with his knees.

'I'm sorry' Merlyn apologised, as she stood with Luke crying in her arms at the open bedroom door.

Lucas cursed out loud when he felt Gail push him off her and shot Merlyn a hateful look.

Gail re-wrapped her robe, then got out of bed and took Luke from the girl. She could not believe they had been so distracted that they had not heard the crying baby coming up the stairs. She regarded Merlyn with irritation and left the bedroom, to find a private place to feed her son.

'What did I do? I only took him to help!' Merlyn snapped, then stormed out of the bedroom.

Lucas sat up in the bed shaking his head and sighed. 'I think I liked it better when they were getting along' he said to himself, then lay back down in bed and contemplated what he wanted to do with his day off.

* * *

Matt stood in the kitchen of Gail's house drinking a cup of coffee, he could not believe what he had been caught doing the previous night and was attempting to figure out why he had allowed himself to lose control like that. He had known it was wrong and would never want to be inappropriate towards M, she had been a rock when he required it and he did not want to hurt her.

'Quit beatin' yourself up Harvard, that girl ain't as innocent as you'd like to believe' Lucas said, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Matt regarded the man suspiciously, he had everything he required to lock him up; however, he did not appear intent on that action, which was out of charactor for Lucas Buck.

Lucas read Matt's mind and laughed. 'I'll let you in on a little secret Doc, I'm well and truly intoxicated by a certain someone...I mean, this girl could tell me jump off a bridge and providin' she was givin' me a taste of even a little of what she had to offer, hell I'd probably go ahead and do it'

Matt felt his back go up at the thought of Lucas touching his best friend and his irritation for the man started to show. 'What are you getting at Buck?' he snapped and refilled his cup with coffee.

Lucas sensed Matt's jealousy and smiled. 'What I'm gettin' at is I ain't stupid enough to cart you in, especially when my girl is finally startin' to accept her place with me...Besides, I got better things to do with my time than waste it on you'

'So why are you here?' Matt asked, not liking how candid Lucas was being.

Lucas sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter. 'I hate this time of year, did she every tell you that?' he asked casually.

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'This might be hard for you to believe, given your superiority complex but Gail doesn't feel the need to share when it comes to you and I couldn't care less if she did. Now get to the point, I'm running late'

Lucas smiled, it was good to know his love was as loyal and kept their business to herself. 'The point is that there's a young boy who appears to love this time of year and the adults around him have no desire to cater to this overrated holiday, especially with a new baby to take care of'

'So what? You want me to take over the festive planning?' Matt asked in disbelief.

Lucas shook his head and sighed. 'What I want you to do Harvard, is to stop being distracted by a little bit of skirt and make sure your true friend has all the support she requires'

Matt resented the insinuation that Lucas was making; however, he had been distracted recently and had not noticed Gail may be struggling to manage Caleb as well as the new baby. He knew Caleb had never been given a proper Christmas, until Gage died and Gail did not take to the holiday with being alone through her childhood. This was a hard time of year for his friend and he had been too caught up in his own problems to consider whether she required help.

'There you go Doc, I'm glad I've been of some assistance...Now don't worry about your shifts for the next few days, there'd be hell to pay if I allowed Saint Matt Crower to be stuck in a lonely hospital over the holidays. You just focus on what's important' Lucas said as he casually walked out of the kitchen, leaving Matt to stew on the matter.

* * *

Gail stood outside of the large dining room holding her baby tight in her arms, attempting to fight the urge to go in. She had seen enough of her past self to know she was stuck here; however, she could not get the visions out of her mind.

Gail was not the type of person to believe anything was set in stone, in fact she had openly set out to disprove anything that appeared this way; however, the constant stream of visions were hard to contend with and for the first time she was beginning to feel truly trapped. Gail did not react well to being backed into a corner, regardless of whether that was the desired intention or not. Her mind was in overdrive and she could not think of anything but the room that started this all.

'Gail?' Caleb asked, as he approached his cousin cautiously.

Gail stared at the room for a moment longer, then turned towards her cousin. She found herself to be distancing herself from Caleb lately, she supposed it was her instincts kicking in after what had happened with her first pregnancy. When she looked at him now, he appeared to be the sweet little boy she had grown to love; however, she would not be fooled twice and she felt her darkness stand to attention, ready to intervene if required.

'What are you doing here Caleb? You've been warned about venturing away from the front of the house' she sighed, turning away from the dining room and began walking back down the corridor.

Caleb followed her closely and disregarded his curiosity about what she was doing. 'I came to check on you, Merly's worried about you and I wanted to make sure you were alright' he answered honestly.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Merly's worried about herself and what I think of her, not about me...' she said knowingly, '...Besides, what are you still doing here? It's Sunday, shouldn't you be out playing with your friends?'

Caleb placed his hands in his pockets, he had never realised how cold it was in this part of the house and picked up the pace so he could get back to Lucas' warm Study. 'Boone's with his family at the Christmas fair, I think Josh is too...I'm happy being here with my family' he shrugged.

Gail let out a small laugh as they walked through the kitchen and to the Study, he was the second person today who had brought her attention to the upcoming holiday and she wondered whether this was some trick administered by Lucas. She could not think of anything worse than parading around the townspeople, pretending to be the perfect family and she was relieved Caleb appeared content enough with just being here with her.

'There you are' Abe said, as they entered the Study.

Gail regarded him suspiciously, then spotted Matt behind him attempting to hide in the corner. 'How did you get here?' she asked, as she gave Abe an affectionate hug and shot Matt an irritated glance.

Abe turned towards Matt and bellowed the man forward.

'Lucas dropped us off, he had something to attend to today and thought you could use some help...' Matt started.

'I don't need anyones help...' Gail interrupted, '...So you two can turn around and go back to where you came from'

Abe had heard enough, he understood Gail had been alone most of her life; however, now she was here with her family and he would not allow her to close herself off. 'Now you listen here Missy, you're gonna get off your high horse and conduct yourself like a normal adult would at this time of year' he ordered.

Gail narrowed her eyes at Abe, then laughed. 'Normal? I've just had a child to my cousin's father and now I'm stuck in this place with him and his dea...' she started, then noticed the look of horror on Caleb's face and held her tongue. '...The point is, none of this is normal'

Matt had not seen Gail react in this manner before, especially in front of Caleb and he did not like his friends new found behaviour. He had known her long enough to understand that pondering to her moods would not get them anywhere; therefore, he pushed all of his shame and fears to one side, then regarded his old friend as though nothing had changed between them. 'Oh for god's sake, get over yourself...Regardless of whether any of this is normal, you made your bed. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you shut yourself away in this den of iniquity on your own' he said, then sat down firmly on the couch and crossed his arms.

Gail stared at Matt with amusement, this is the man she had grown close to many moons ago and his stern way of addressing the situation reminded her that her old friend was still in there somewhere. Gail was stubborn and she would not be controlled so easily; therefore, she sat down next to Matt in silence and reached for Luke's bottle.

Merlyn came into the Study when she heard several voices, then stared at Gail and Matt curiously. She smiled when Caleb came to her and placed his hands around her hips, then turned her attention towards Abe. 'What did I miss?' she asked confused.

Abe watched the stubborn display on the couch, then shook his head and signalled for the children to follow him out of the room. 'Come on, Floyd is outside waitin' to take us to the fair...let's leave these two to their own devices'

Caleb smiled at the mention of the Christmas fair and pulled Merlyn out of the room. He had wanted to spend time with his whole family; however, it appeared his cousin would not be reasoned with.

* * *

Lucas walked casually around the stalls full of Christmas decorations and ornaments, putting on his best charming smile for his townspeople. He had been trying to avoid all the gossiping old biddies who would no doubt be fishing for information on his relationship status and was focused on the children playing close to the water.

This whole time of year made him uncomfortably, it always had; however, he respected it was a time for families and enjoyed watching parents of all ages carting around their children. He had always been an advocate for good old fashioned family values and it was nice to see that his town was still renowned for it's traditional way of being.

Lucas felt something dark stir within him, then scoured the area and spotted Abe with Caleb and Merlyn on either side of him. When he glanced around and could not see Gail, he sighed and approached the group. 'I take it Harvard failed in his task to spread the Christmas cheer?...Either that or my other half killed him and buried him under the patio' he smiled to himself, amused at the thought.

Merlyn rolled her eyes and unhooked her grip of Abe's arm. 'I'm goin' to get somethin' to drink' she said irritated and left the boys too it.

'Did you really think she would conform so easy boy?' Abe asked curiously.

Lucas shrugged, then turned towards Caleb. 'What do you think son? You think she buried him somewhere deep in the woods where no one would find him?' he asked sarcastically.

'With the mood she's in today I wouldn't put it past her' Caleb laughed, then ran off to find Boone and Josh.

Lucas smiled as he watched Caleb rush off, then started thinking about Gail and his new boy. He felt her slipping away slightly and was concerned at her lack of wanting to be with her family at this time of year.

Abe shook his head and took hold of Lucas' arm. 'You need to shake off this doubt of yours and get back to work...duty calls' he said and nodded towards the old women approaching them.

Lucas let out a long sigh, then put on his best smile for the approaching women.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6

Matt had watched silently as the others left the house, while he remained sat with Gail and the baby. When they had sat in silence for over 30 minutes, he laughed. 'You really have lost your mind haven't you?' he asked, as he stroked Luke's hand and smiled when the baby gripped his finger tight.

Gail had forgotten what she had been trying to accomplish here; however, she forced herself to remain stern. 'You accuse me of losing my mind when you're courting that young girl?'

Matt rolled his eyes and stood up. 'You're judging me when you're playing happy family with our sociopathic Sheriff? Come on Gail, the man's a monster and you're focusing on a little kiss'

Gail laughed and stood up, carefully holding Luke to her chest. 'Firstly, the act I witnessed you performing on a minor last night was not just a little kiss and secondly, he isn't a monster with me...As long as I'm playing happy family he's leaving the people closest to me alone, including you'

'So conforming to his ways is warranted because it saves the people around you...what about everyone else that he tortures?' Matt asked judgmentally.

Gail began to pace the room, she was not used to Matt being so forthright and it reminded her of how he used to be before his stay in Juniper House. Although it appeared he was challenging her, she liked his confidence and hoped this was a sign that her friend was returning back to his old ways. 'I'm not Florence Nightingale Matt, everyone else isn't my concern...at least not for the moment. Besides, while everything's alright here his attention is firmly fixed on me'

Matt let out a long sigh and approached his friend. 'And what about the effect this all has on you? I know you hate this holiday due to your past and you know I'm in the same boat, but your ill feelings towards something has never stopped you performing appropriately for Caleb...Gail, you're locking yourself away here and that's not healthy for you or that boy. I can see that everything isn't alright'

Gail watched Matt closely, clearly her feelings of unease were seeping through and she was trying to hide them. How could she tell her friend that she was trapped due to some past life that had already played out? She could not control her desire for Lucas, that was obvious now and she did not like being powerless in any situation, let alone with a man like him.

Matt sensed the conflict within his friend and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He could see that she was wrestling with something; however, she was reluctant in opening up and had put a wall up, just like the first time they had met. It had been hard to melt her hard exterior but he had prevailed. He would not allow her to go back to her old way of running away inside herself, it was not an option he would even contemplate. 'Come on...' he ordered, '...I hate this place and I'm not staying here for another minute'

Gail regarded Matt curiously, his demeanor had changed and she did not know what to make of it. 'I have to look after Luke, you go and I'll be fine' she said, rocking the baby in her arms.

'Are you really going to let me walk all the way into town on my own...If I get ill and have to call in sick, think of all the people I could've potentially saved' Matt said sarcastically.

Gail shook her head and smiled. 'Well if you put it that way, I suppose I'll have to be your chauffer'

Matt smiled and led her out of the study. 'There's the spirit Miss Emory, it's about time that baby of yours got a tour of the town' he laughed and watched as she reluctantly found Luke's buggy.

* * *

Lucas had grown tired of his answering questions from his townspeople about Luke and what this meant for the woman in his life; therefore, he sat at a table in a quiet spot with Abe and Merlyn, watching Caleb play with his friends. He knew his townspeople would not dare disturb him when he was with his old friend and welcomed this peacefulness after a long afternoon of performing.

When Abe stood up to get himself a drink, Merlyn attempted to follow; however, it appeared his old friend wanted some peace himself, as he scolded the girl for her efforts. Merlyn sat back down in a huff and folded her arms over her chest, Lucas was the last person she wanted to be with and she prayed that someone would sit with them.

'Am I really that bad Merlyn Ann?' Lucas asked, not taking his eyes off Caleb and his friends.

Merlyn regarded Lucas suspiciously, then surveyed their surroundings hoping for any interruption. 'You killed me Lucas' she said candidly.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'I put you out of your misery...Besides, haven't I redeemed myself by letting you live?'

Merlyn shook her head in disbelief. 'Gail let me live and you're just keepin' her sweet by toleratin' my presence'

Lucas let out a long sigh and turned his attention towards Merlyn. 'I could've gotten rid of you before Gail got attached, she wouldn't have cared less if Caleb's little friend had disappeared. What I did was allow you to start over, with no chains to bind you to that old farmhouse you used to call home. You may not like it, but you're still here because of me and it's time you let the past go before it comes back to haunt you'

Merlyn stared defiantly at Lucas, she did not want to allow herself to let go of what Lucas had done to her and her family; however, he did have a point and he appeared to be trying now. 'Am I supposed to trust that you have my best interests at heart Lucas?'

'Well I ain't dragged Harvard to jail yet for inappropriate acts towards a minor, I should think that stands for something' he laughed, then turned his focus back towards Caleb.

Merlyn watched him for a moment, then sighed. She was sick of holding on to her grudge and knew the old Lucas would not have hesitated to take Matt in if he had something on him.

'There you go, I ain't so bad' Lucas smiled triumphantly.

Merlyn shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. 'You know he didn't do anythin' wrong right? I've seen enough to know what I'm doin''

Lucas could sense how desperate Merlyn was for help in this situation and he knew Gail could not provide an unbiased opinion. 'Look, the man is damaged. Contributing to the death of your wife and child can eat away at a person, to the point where they don't function as they should...Saying that, witnessing the death of a parent and the imperfections of a family can also damage a person. I guess you two are like two pea's in a pod with all that you've witnessed' Lucas shrugged.

Merlyn could not believe that Lucas was actually talking to her in a genuine manner and was struggling to find his motive for assisting her with her dilemma.

'While you're sufferin', others I hold close are too...What you need to do is truly figure out what you want and take it, just like I have' Lucas smiled.

Merlyn considered this for a moment and smiled. 'Gail won't be happy that you gave me this advice' she warned.

Lucas turned back towards Merlyn and smiled devilishly. 'What that ol' cousin of yours doesn't know won't hurt her. Besides, I'm Lucas Buck...I won't be controlled by anyone'

Merlyn felt something dark stir within her and her smile grew wider, maybe it was time that she stopped being so sweet and innocent. 'Speakin' of the devil' she said and signaled to Lucas' right.

Lucas turned around to see Gail and Matt approaching them, with Luke in his buggy. He nodded in appreciation of Matt's effort to bring Gail back to normality and stood up to meet them. 'Well this is a surprise...You here to do the rounds with me Miss Emory?' he asked sarcastically.

'I'm here for a break after Christmas shopping all afternoon' Gail snapped, then sat down beside Merlyn and noticed something was different with her. 'Are you alright?'

Merlyn smiled at her cousin and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'I'm fine, me and Lucas were just havin' a little chat'

'About what?' Matt asked suspiciously.

'Yes, about what?' Gail asked, regarding Lucas disapprovingly.

'Oh nothin', just a few life lessons' Merlyn smiled, then got up and went to join her brother.

'Life lessons?' Gail asked Lucas, then rolled her eyes when he just shrugged.

Lucas pulled Luke's pram towards him, then sat down opposite Gail. 'You look radiant out in the open Darlin''

Gail knew something had gone on and they were hiding it from her; therefore, she stood up and linked her arm through Matt's. 'Well I'm going to take my radiant self and friend for some well deserved alone time by the water...Enjoy babysitting Sheriff' Gail said sarcastically and led Matt to the pier, leaving Lucas with the children.

* * *

It was 8:00pm on Christmas Eve and Lucas was pacing the long corridors of his mansion, as Gail was nowhere to be found. She had clearly returned here when she left the Christmas fair, to put presents under their large Christmas Tree; however, he had not seen her since and he was beginning to get restless having to watch the children.

'There was a bottle of milk in the fridge, so I fed Luke...' Merlyn said cautiously, as she found Lucas pacing. '...Gail must've left it before she went back out'

'Smart, makin' sure the baby had enough supplies so she could stay out as long as she wants' Lucas said through gritted teeth.

Merlyn sensed his anger and decided to head back to Luke, where it was safe. She did not want to leave him too long with Caleb, in case they were tempting fate.

Lucas continued to walk down the long corridors of his property and came across the dining room they had been in the previous evening, with light flickering through the bottom of the closed door. He stared at the door suspiciously for a moment, then opened it and found Gail stood at the back of the room staring at the covered painting on the wall. This sight brought him back to her strange behaviour of the previous evening and he became curious with her fascination of this room. 'How did you get past me?' he asked, as he approached her slowly.

'It appears I can navigate through the back of this property pretty well...You really need to tend to that old fountain, it's a shame to have it go to ruin' she sighed and continued to stare at the covered painting.

After Gail had left with Matt, she had started to feel more her old self; however, her mind traveled back to her visions and she felt trapped once again. She had made her excuses to Matt and decided to come here through the back door, knowing Lucas would be waiting for her to return at the front of the property. Now that she was here, she did not know what she wanted to do and it was a surprise that Lucas had stumbled across her.

Lucas did not like the stance his love was taking, or that she would not take her eyes off the covered painting. When he had closed the distance, he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her back into him. 'I don't know what's goin' on with your moods of late Gail, but you need to get them under control for the children's sake' he whispered into her ear.

Without hesitation, Gail reached for the cover and pulled it down to reveal the painting of her and Lucas. She smiled when she heard his sharp intake of breath and turn towards him. 'How am I supposed to get control of anything after I discovered this?' she asked accusingly.

Lucas stared at the painting before him and shook his head. He had come across old paintings previously, which portrayed a great likeness to Gail and even of him; however, he had never spotted one of them together. Seeing this with her caused a strange sensation to flow through his body and he smiled. 'The illusion of free will Darlin'' he said without thinking, then backed up when Gail slapped his face hard.

Gail felt anger rise within her and could not control lashing out at that statement. This was all a game to him, but this was her life and she was not one to follow the obvious path. 'Was it due to the illusion of free will that you raped and killed my aunt? Or does that statement just relate to us?' she asked, knowing the truth about Judith deep down.

Lucas felt like he should be careful here, this situation had taken him off guard and he needed time to think. 'I didn't kill...' he started, then felt Gail's hand connect with his cheek again.

'The truth for once...' Gail interrupted, '...that's all I ever asked of you, but you couldn't even give me that'

Lucas raised his hand to his cheek and tried to control his anger at being struck twice. 'You couldn't handle the truth Gail, you can barely stomach the sins of your immediate family let alone mine and Judith's' he smiled venomously.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Now we're getting somewhere, the real you is starting to shine through...Don't act as if your smoke and mirrors were anything to do with my inability to process my families disturbed history, your lies were to protect yourself and no-one else Lucas'

Lucas nodded and ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. He knew he had her, so this confrontation would not change anything; however, he did not understand what had come over her to bring this up now. 'Alright, so what if I did kill her? Nothin' would've changed, except maybe you would've done the dirty deed yourself...we both know you're capable of it, going by some of the visions you've experienced' he said knowingly.

Gail could not deny his statement, as she felt the darkness within her grow; however, his comment still made her angry. 'So you killed her to subconsciously protect me from committing a horrible act?'

'I cared deeply for that woman Gail, but she wasn't strong enough for what I needed. I realised that when she gave birth to Caleb' Lucas tried to explain.

'You don't care about anyone but yourself or your offspring Lucas, so enough of your lies'

Lucas grabbed Gail by the arms and slammed her hard against the wall. 'After all we've been through and all you've seen, you still think this is all about me?' he asked in disbelief.

Gail felt a switch turn in her body and suddenly her desire for him took over. She tried to remain in control; however, their connection was too strong and she was unable to fight it.

Lucas saw something change in her eyes and stared at her curiously, when he felt her hand move to his crotch and she unzipped his pants. He could sense her desire flowing through her and he was sick of having to control his urges. 'What love?...What do want?' he whispered, then pulled her close and inhaled her scent.

Gail closed her eyes and bit her lip, her desire had taken full control and had forgotten what she was trying to accomplish. All she wanted was for him to take her hard. 'Would you really do anything?' she asked, as she stared deep into his eyes and sensed his arousal.

Lucas felt himself get excited at the prospect of this game and trailed his hands down to her hips. 'Anything' he panted, feeling his manhood harden in his pants.

Gail smiled mischievously and took his hard manhood in her hands. 'I want it how you took her' she whispered, feeling her darkness flood through.

Lucas stared at her suspiciously for a moment, he understood exactly what her request was and was confused as to why she would ask such a thing. He could sense that she was serious; therefore, without hesitation he threw her down on the dining room table and began pulling off her cardigan.

Gail felt something dark come over her and she slapped Lucas hard across the face, then smiled at his look of confusion and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss. She allowed him to lift up her long skirt and rip off her panties, then feigned resistance when he attempted to pin her down on the table.

Lucas was aroused by this game and forced her legs open with his knees, then thrust his manhood deep inside of her. They both let out a loud moan as she closed in around him and he remained still for a moment. It had been a while since he had been inside of her and Lucas wanted to savour this feeling for as long as he could. When he could hold still for no longer, he started to push in and out of her gently. He knew Gail had requested him to be rough; however, he was not ready to hurt her in that way just yet.

Gail allowed Lucas to go slow for a few moments, then gripped his hair tight in her hands when he did not increase his pace. 'This isn't what I wanted sweetheart' she said, trying to sound annoyed.

Lucas smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 'But it's what you're gettin' for now love' he panted and thrust his manhood deeper inside her.

Gail called out at the exquisite feeling of him inside of her and could not muster up the anger she wished to hold against him. His soft movements were tapping into a side of her that she was trying to keep locked up and she was finding it hard to hide her enjoyment of this act. It did not take long for their climax to come and Gail dug her nails into Lucas' back when the pleasure became too much, then called out as he came inside of her.

Lucas buried his head into Gail's neck and bit down hard, to stifle his call. He felt himself explode within her and the intense sensation that flowed through him was exquisite. Gail allowed him to lay on top of her for a few moments, then pushed him off of her. Lucas watched as she cleaned herself up and straightened her clothes, then pulled her to him and cupped her chin in his hands.

'You said anything' she said, frustrated.

'And I stand by that, but not when you haven't fully recovered' Lucas advised and stroked her cheek tenderly.

Gail stared deep into his eyes, then pushed him away from her. She was sick of being treated as though she was fragile and had wanted to work off her anger over Judith.

'Gail?' Merlyn called protectively, when she saw Lucas and Gail seeming to be at a standoff.

Gail let out a long sigh and shook her head at Lucas. 'This isn't over' she warned.

Lucas smiled devilishly and placed his arm around Gail, then led her out of the room. 'I wouldn't expect anythin' less love but this fight is gonna have to wait, unless you want your whole family to suffer through this holiday period?'

Gail regarded Lucas with irritation and allowed him to lead her out of the room. It was time that they both performed for their family and friends over the festive period; however, now she knew the truth about their connection and Judith, which meant she finally had something concrete to focus on. She would uncover his secrets one way or another, but for now she would return to the children and make the most of Christmas with them.

-the end-


End file.
